Lion City or Fragrant Harbour? A Singaporean decides
Adriel Ang
Full Time, Class of 2017
Pre-MBA: Senior Executive, Contract Costs & Control
Sentosa Leisure Group, Singapore
Post-MBA: Business Advisor
Weave Asia, Hong Kong
Being experienced in a field often leads our MBA students to make the best choices for their career, because they know CUHK can propel themselves to the next stage. “There are several good reasons as to why I chose Hong Kong over Singapore for my MBA!” says Adriel Ang, recounting the choice that brought him to the CUHK MBA.
Hong Kong is a place to truly experience East meets West with close proximity to Shenzhen- aka China’s Silicon Valley. “This comes with a huge market potential to leverage the entrepreneurship and venture capital courses in the curriculum at CUHK,” Adriel says.
Aside these advantages, CUHK’s legacy as having the longest running MBA programme in Hong Kong caught Adriel’s attention. A major part of the benefits of an MBA is the associated connections that come with it, and CUHK naturally has a diverse alumni network that will allow Adriel to elevate his career.
Coming from a technical background in construction management, the curriculum was his roadmap to the business world.
Excellent Career Development
With interview boot camps, company visits and availability of jobs offered to MBA students, the Career Management Centre was instrumental in Adriel’s professional development.
Adriel secured a 3-month internship at Infiniti Motors Hong Kong through the Centre and it led him to a full-time opportunity in corporate innovation and venture capital there. Being assigned to the Connected Car team which focuses on product management and implementation of digital technologies related to motor vehicles, Adriel was exposed to an array of cutting edge digital products such as autonomous drive systems, vehicle-to-everything technology and remote vehicle services. He fell in love with the role as it engaged every part of his skillset from his pre and post MBA experience.
Entrepreneurship comes to life
Showing his drive and ambition, Adriel co-founded Weave Asia with his friend shortly after graduating from his MBA in 2018. He took on the role as Business Advisor working on business development and client management. In addition to a number of key corporate accounts in Hong Kong, many first time entrepreneurs come to him for advice on starting a venture of their own and sometimes win-win collaboration opportunities pop up as well.
All put together, Adriel has elevated his career. “The MBA helped me achieve my objectives for a career change. The curriculum equipped him with the right technical skills needed for roles outside of the construction industry while the numerous networking and training opportunities brushed up my soft skills immensely,” he says.
A Break from the Norm
Adriel also led the Singapore Career Trek, a week-long student expedition to companies such as Google, Verizon, Infosys, Mapletree and Apple. It was a unique experience during his MBA journey to understand the people, culture and hiring processes in multinational companies.
It was a privilege many MBA candidates would have coveted, just like Adriel’s overall experience at CUHK. “I can definitely say that my career would not be what it is today had I not been equipped with the skills, network and opportunities that I got from the programme.” says Adriel.
As for his next career goal, he wants to grow a pipeline of business for Weave Asia in Hong Kong. Being an entrepreneur, Adriel has no hesitation in recommending CUHK to the MBA aspirants. “There are few opportunities in your career where you can take a step back, learn new skills and make new friends at the same rate than you do in a full-time MBA programme.”
Adriel still keeps a close connection with his alma mater where he knows he can always get valuable advice and support.
“It shows that your relationship with the School goes beyond just your time as a student. The staff truly do care and that in my mind is a huge plus knowing that you always have people to turn to for support!” Adriel says.